Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Training Lily

Lily and I went to our first puppy training class last night:

We arrived slightly late because I had no idea where the Tilgate Community Hall was and Jane (sat nav) was not working due to the rain. I had printed out directions BUT I cannot read them without my glasses, and it was dark… Lily’s not car-trained, the only time she has been in the car is when someone held her on the way to the vet, so she wailed and scrabbled about all the way there. All the puppies were sitting there quietly with their owners, when we arrived, except Lily. She wanted to go and play: she whined and squeaked and pulled on her leash trying to get to the other dogs. She made the most awful choking noises as she strained on her lead strangling her self rather noisily and publicly *sick smile*

We had to bring a water bowl for our dogs to be filled from a small bottle of water. I only have a porcelain water bowl, which I didn’t want to take so I took a drip tray from a pot plant (which was obviously a drip tray and not a water bowl). Lily stepped in it derisively after I had filled it from Ariél’s Barbie flask – and spilled water everywhere. *sick smile*

Right at the end of class they let three dogs off the leash at a time and we (Lily only had me; the other dogs each had at least two of their humans present) had to control our puppy while it was off-leash... They let Lily be the first off the leash [probably because she was being such a terror]... Think of some word that will be used to call your puppy back, we were taught. An unusual word that they associate with coming to you... Right, I chose: Squirrel!!

Lily frightened some poor Yorkie - it hid under the chair. She raced around and leapt on every available dog, with me was shouting "Squirrel !!" to no avail. Lily wouldn't listen to me or stay in the middle of the room as per instructions. The trainer was very sweet, but she was slightly hysterical by the time she suggested I try and put Lily back on her lead. I am sure the other owners were clicking their tongues. Journey home was more waling and scrabbling. She fell fast asleep as soon as we got home though.